In Kristin O’Donnell Tubb’s FOWL PLAY, at a dramatic reading of her late uncle Will’s will, Chloe is bequeathed her late uncle’s parrot, Charlie. Charlie shows off her interesting vocabulary, and her word choices convince Chloe that her Uncle Will’s death was not the result of natural causes. She draws her brother, Uncle Frank, and grandmother into an investigation to figure out who was behind Uncle Will’s death. As they collaborate to determine what really happened, Chloe learns more about her beloved uncle and the family comes to terms with this significant loss.

Family relationships are the center of this engaging book and contribute to making it an enjoyable read. Chloe is a multi-dimensional character, driven by her love for her uncle and supported by her family at every turn. Charlie provides lots of humor, adding commentary and some unexpected music selections along the way. The mix of adventure, authentic family relationships, and humor used to address the complex topic of grief make this the perfect murder mystery for middle grade readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing an eARC of the book with me.

This was a fun and lighthearted story highlighting the process of grief and the ways different family members cope when a loved one passes away.

Chloe's family is summoned to an old-fashioned will reading after her beloved uncle's passing. Her inheritance? A talking parrot. After hearing the bird say some unusual words and phrases, Chloe is determined to solve a murder mystery, and she drags her family members into it too.

With plenty of hijinks to go around, middle schoolers are bound to fall in love with Chloe, Grammy, Uncle Frank, and Jacob as they sneak around town adding and eliminating suspects. The generational family love in this book is irresistible.

Many thanks to Katherine Tegen Books and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel!

Kristin O’Donnell Tubb’s passionate middle grade mystery combines hilarity with heartache as a fraying family bonds over madcap sleuthing capers.

FOWL PLAY begins with the reading of a will. Thirteen-year-old Chloe inherits her Uncle Will’s African Gray Parrot named Charlie. But when Charlie starts uttering words like "murder", "poison", and "cyanide", Chloe questions her beloved uncle’s rare illness and believes he was murdered. With help from a savvy older brother, her spunky grandma, and magician uncle, Chloe investigates the list of murder suspects.

Her family stumbles through surprising and sometimes dangerous discoveries about Uncle Will while searching for the truth. Taking Uncle Will’s favorite phrase to heart, Chloe tries to "carpe diem" her life, cramming as much as she can into every day until she decides it really means to focus on what’s most important, which happens to be Uncle Will’s other favorite phrase "family is wondrous". The beauty of this book lies in its healing power of teamwork, especially when combined with humor.

Filled with spooky secrets that include an evening in a historic cemetery, a call to a psychic, and a visit to a threatening loan shark, this mystery will thrill readers while tugging at their hearts. I highly recommend this book!

I love the way the author makes a laugh-out-loud book about a serious topic like the death of a family member. She infused just the right amount of humor and mystery. Chloe channels her grief after the passing of her beloved uncle on investigating his death which she believes involves foul play. This book was entertaining, but touching as the family heals.

When Chloe's uncle dies, her family is shocked to learn at his will reading that he had been sick for a while. Chloe inherits his parrot, Charlie, and when Charlie starts saying things like "murder" and "cyanide," Chloe becomes convinced her uncle was murdered. Along with her other uncle, her brother, and her grandmother, they start to investigate her uncle's life and who could have had motive to kill him.

I really enjoyed this one! I thought it was a great middle age mystery - easy to follow mystery/clues, fast paced, and fun characters!

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Grieving the loss of her favorite uncle, twelve-year-old Chloe Alvarez inherits his African Gray parrot, Charlie. At first, Charlie isn't sure what to make of the parrot, but when Charlie starts repeating words and phrases like "cyanide" and "murder," Chloe seizes on the possibility that maybe her uncle didn't pass away from natural causes. Putting on her detective hat, Charlie rallies her family to determine if there's something more sinister going on as she identifies a long list of suspects.

And what's going up with that mysterious car that seems to follow her everywhere she tries to check out a new clue?

Kristen O'Donnell Tubb's Fowl Play is a delightful character-driven mystery story that kept me intrigued and guessing who the real suspect could be during its run time. And while the mystery is the hook here, the real treat is the wonderfully realized cast of quirky characters who inhabit this story. From her uncle who made a good living in the app game to her mom who is seeking to stay somehow connected to her teenage daughter to her suspicious Granny, Fowl Play is filled to the brim with entertaining characters who get the reader invested in their stories.

The running gag of Charlie repeating phrases linked to murder mysteries and relieving himself everywhere will delight younger readers. (They delighted this older reader if we're being honest here).

This is a quirky, entertaining story that will keep readers of all ages -- especially children at heart -- delighted and turning the pages to find out what happens next. Highly recommended.

The synopsis:
Chloe is a 12 year old girl who is grieving the loss of her beloved uncle. The beloved uncle who gave her his African Grey Parrot is his will. The African Grey Parrot who keeps talking about murder and cyanide. Did Chloe's uncle really die of a rare genetic disease? Or was he murdered? Chloe doesn't know, but she intends to find out.
This book feels like it is still in the process of being written, as though the author is still fleshing out the characters and is playing around with story elements to see what sticks and what she should toss. The grief parts are real and raw and authentic. The African Grey Parrot info feels very well researched, though clumsily dropped into the narrative.
The main problem is everything else: the fact that she jumps straight to murder as a cause for her uncle's death, the 'loan shark' angle, the unfeeling landlord, the ex girlfriend: all of these bits are a little ridiculous but with more room to grow they might have turned into something meaningful. As it is, the reader just gets whiplash from the odd juxtaposition of grief and screwball situations.
This book did not come together for me.

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy.

I have read many of Tubb’s books at this point in my career as a school librarian. They are among some of the most recommended books in my library. She has written historical fiction, realistic fiction, but this is the first mystery that she has written that I have read.

The common denominators in all of Tubb’s books is quality characters you will fall in love with, an excellent use of word choice and similes, and finally SO MUCH HEART.

The characters in this book will fill your heart. Chloe has just lost someone dear to her and finds that she has inherited an African gray parrot. While it seems strange that a parrot steals the show, that is completely the case in this book. The camaraderie that immediately develops between Chloe and Charlie is so endearing. When you add in the other family members who are also in various stages of grief, plus a comical madcap caper where they are trying to find Uncle Will’s murderer, you have a hit on your hands.

Not only do you have wonderful characters, but the story itself is filled with so many moments that reflect real life. The characters are hurting, yes, but there are punctuated moments of laughter and caring that have become so trademark in Tubb’s writing (not to mention her supreme word choice).

If y oh have readers that are hurting, that are looking for a madcap murder mystery, or just a fun story to read, turn them to Fowl Play by Kristin O’Donnell Tubb. I guarantee neither you nor your readers will be disappointed.

This was a great read! It was a mystery that kept me hooked and I know my fifth graders would feel the same. I enjoyed the characters especially how close the family was. It was such an annoyance read and will make a great addition to my classroom library.

Adding to cart! Fun family mystery. My daughter and I read this together. We laughed through it. We were hooked early on and she always begged for one more chapter.

Wondrous book! Quick, engaging chapters kept me wanting to read! Love the family aspect of this book.. great example for kids on how families stick together. Witty writing will keep kids laughing and the mystery will keep them glued! Charlie and Chloe are a great dynamic duo. Can’t wait to put in the hands of my students!

A great family mystery happens when Uncle Will dies and his parrot, Charlie, is left to Chloe, and Chloe hears the parrot say murder, cyanide, and homicide.. She thinks her uncle was murdered. She enlists the help of her brother, her Uncle Frank(a suspect), and Grammy to find out what happened to her uncle. As this busy family comes together and finds more suspects, Chloe realizes why Uncle Will said “family is wondrous, make it all count.” What really happened to Uncle Will?